What's happening......

Lodging assistant called from Philly yesterday with info regarding possibility of an apartment about three blocks (walking distance, if I feel safe) from the hospital. This is first come, first serve. Once a family is in an apt. they are not asked to vacate, if their stay needs to be extended for any reason. No guarantee one will be available when we need it. Contact will be made on Friday before Earl's Monday surgery. If an apt. is available, I can get it on Monday or Tues. as I can manage to move belongings from hotel around the surgery schedule. Earl will be checking into the hospital on June 3rd.

While Earl was in St. Mary's, a surgeon told us he considered Earl's cancer inoperable. Surgeon's nurse finally returned our calls today. We got a faxed copy of doctor's CONSULTATION REPORT (Headed up with St. Mary's Medical Center name and address.) This was dictated the day before we got the official confirmation on April 6th that the biopsy had tested positive for cancer.

• Doctor's "impression" states: Probably locally advanced carcinoma of the head of the pancreas which is essentially inoperable and unresectable.

Knoxville surgeon is also going to dictate a letter that should provide the inoperable statement we need to give to our insurance in an effort to get better benefits. Our Oncology Case Manager will submit these two documents to the insurance doctors in an effort to get approval for benefits to be paid at 80% instead of the current 50% out of network rate.

So, everyone pray very hard that the insurance doctors will be in an agreeable mood to approve our request. Otherwise, it is going to be very difficult financially, since Fox Chase states payment must be made at time of service.

I am encouraged that we seem to be making some headway in getting some of our bumps smoothed out.